Specials from American Bible Sales

About
The Lockman Foundation

1940's

After
undergoing what he called, "a miraculous conversion" at a tent meeting
sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Garden Grove in 1927, citrus farmer
F. Dewey Lockman first became a Christian. Then, in 1931, Lockman had, what
he called, "his second conversion in the matter of stewardship." This
occurred as he read Malachi 3:10:

"Bring the
whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and
test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open
for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is
no more need."

Thus Dewey, along with his wife Minna
(who as a child claimed Christ as her personal Savior), became tithers and obeyed
Gods commandment and promise. At first, the Lockmans tithed the traditional
10 percent of their annual income. But as their citrus ranch began to prosper,
the Lockmans paid the Lord back -- with interest -- and they increased their
tithing to 15 percent, then 20 percent, until they were able to give 40 percent
of their income to the Lords work; Even as times got lean on the citrus
ranch and money was available solely for food and clothing, Dewey kept a written
account of how much he owed the Lord.

The success of the citrus ranch allowed
them to purchase more and more land. This led the Lockmans to turn over 75 percent
(and an additional 15 percent two years later), of sizeable, prime citrus and
range acres in La Habra Valley, California, on Dec. 3, 1942, to form the Lockman
Foundation, a non-profit corporation, with the established purpose to promote
Christian evangelism, education, and benevolence. The Lockmans and the original
Board of Directors set forth a doctrinal statement which the Foundation strictly
follows to this day.

The goal of reaching people throughout
the world with the Word of God began in the Lockmans own backyard: Orange
County, California. The first project of The Lockman Foundation was the development
of a Bible study program for servicemen during World War II stationed at nearby
El Toro Marine Base. Through this ministry they reached individuals who needed
the gospel and encouragement from Gods Word. Providing free soft drinks,
tracts, and Bibles for inspired military men, the Christian Service Organization
operated for 35 months, with over half a million accepting the Lockmans
hospitality.

The Lockmans also were concerned
about the needs of the children in the community. This led to creation of a
summer Bible school program. From 1944-46, women students from Biola, under
the direction of several Biola faculty and staff members, traveled throughout
sections of California, holding summer Bible schools at various churches that
requested them. Out of this program grew a desire on the part of the Foundation
to financially sponsor Released Time Education in the secular system. And so
the Lockman Foundation conceptualized Christian Time Released Education, which
originated in Anaheim and eventually expanded to other nearby Orange County
cities. This program allowed grade school children to be released from the classroom
for one period each week for religious instruction and study. In one year alone,
2432 from Grade 1 through High School, studied the Word of God in classes sponsored
by the Foundation. As a result, many school children affectionately called the
Lockmans "Grandma and Grandpa." In sum total, the program brought
Gods ministry to more than 20,000 children.

In 1945, with a deepening desire
to begin printing portions of Scripture that could be readily understood, the
Lockmans purchased Foundation Press. This move afforded them easier access in
the printing of tracts, gospels, and Christian literature.

1950's

For The Lockman Foundation,
the 1950s began with an emphasis on Christian literature and ended with numerous
completed Bible projects and a restless outlook towards taking on and accomplishing
much more. Many tracts, including such titles as, "4 Reasons for Tithing,"
"How to have a Happy Home," and "Principles of Stewardship,"
were produced and distributed by the Lockman Foundation. This emphasis on Christian
literature, in turn, led to an interest in Bible translation. The initial work
on the Amplified New Testament began in 1954 with the printed Amplified
Gospel of John and culminated in 1958 with the Amplified New Testament.
From these grew Amplified translations in Japanese, Spanish, Italian,
and in Braille. This is a translation that, by using synonyms and definitions,
both explains and expands the meaning of words in the text by placing amplification
in parentheses and brackets after key words or phrases. This unique system of
translation allows the reader to more completely grasp the meaning of the words
as they were understood in the original languages.

On August 31, 1957, The Lockman Foundations
first publisher, Foundation Press, which housed much of the Lockman Foundations
literature and printing equipment (including all of the printing plates used
for the Amplified New Testament), was spared the ravages of a blazing
fire which reached heights upwards of 30 feet and destroyed the adjoining building.
Dewey Lockman called it, "a modern day miracle" and recounted the
experience in a published pamphlet entitled, "The Flames Did Not Consume."

In 1959, Mr. Lockman sensed the need
for a translation of the Bible that would be clearly readable in the current
English language but, more importantly, would not sacrifice ANY accuracy in
the translation from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. A group of scholars and pastors
were organized with this vision in mind. This project, the New American
Standard Bible, as it would come to be called, would incorporate new information
taken from the Dead Sea Scrolls which had not been discovered until around the
turn of the century. In addition, it would be a literal, English translation
of the Bible taken from the original languages, and modeled after the scholarship
and accuracy of the American Standard Version published in 1901.

1960's

Having already tithed
90 percent of his holdings, Mr. Lockman gave, in 1960, the final 10 percent
of his familys holdings to the Foundation for the spreading of the Gospel.

Many projects came to fruition during
this period. The two-volume Amplified Old Testament was published in
62 and 64 and culminated with the one-volume Amplified Bible
in 1965. The initial seeds of translation work sown in 1960 were harvested with
the publishing of the New American Standard New Testament in 1963.

1970's

The complete New
American Standard Bible, over ten years in the making, was, for the first
time, made available. And on August 28 of 1971, the NASB was dedicated
to God at a public service held at Mr. Lockmans home church, First Baptist
Church of Anaheim, California. It was a touching moment in the life of this
man of God, because God had given him the vision of something he was to do for
Jesus Christ, and how it was to be done. Through some very difficult times while
the project was in progress and in the face of, at times, overwhelming adversity,
Mr. Lockman never doubted Gods leading and the eventual success of this
translation work. God honored this faith.

On Feb. 28, 1971, Deweys beloved
wife, Minna, went to be with the Lord forever, and Dewey joined her on January
11, 1974. As testament to their tireless work, a 1977 Christian Booksellers'
Association listing of best-selling religious works recorded the New American
Standard Bible as the number one selling Bible in the nation.

Following Dewey Lockman's passing,
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, President Emeritus of Biola University, became President
of The Lockman Foundation, and the Foundation continued its far-reaching work
in foreign language translations. Based on the same principles of literal translation,
work was begun on the Korean Standard Bible, the New Chinese Bible
(Mandarin/Cantonese), the New Chinese Bible (mainland simplified script),
the New Hindi Bible (India), and La Biblia de las Américas
(Spanish).

Other innovative projects followed.
A special publication, the Gospel of John, with a brief explanation of the plan
of salvation, entitled, The Plan of Life (also available in Spanish
as Plan De La Vida), was prepared and made available for use as an
evangelism tool. The New Standard for Living Radio program, with Dr. Charles
R. Swindoll, and later Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, serving as host and Bible teacher,
began in the late 70s. The radio series encouraged listeners to read through
the New American Standard Bible in one year by reading Bible passages
for approximately 15 minutes a day. Listeners of the program who were on the
mailing list received copies of teaching notes before the program aired, allowing
them to follow along with the host. Over the relatively short intervening months,
the ministry quadrupled with stations in more than 25 states that carried the
Monday through Friday half-hour program.

After leading the Foundation through
several successful projects, Dr. Sutherland retired in the spring of 1979, and
Robert G. Lambeth began his current tenure as President.

1980's

Another monumental project
-- this time 11 years in the making and eventually requiring a computer for
cross-referencing -- was finished in 1981. The New American Standard Exhaustive
Concordance is a useful study aid and is to the NASB what Strongs
Concordance is to the King James Version. In fact, the numbers used in the Hebrew
and Greek dictionaries of the NASEC correspond to those used in Strongs
Concordance.

Also with the age of computers came
BibleMaster and the NAS Computer Bible. Building upon a basic search program,
other modules, including La Biblia de las Américas (completed in 1983),
were subsequently introduced as well as several other translations.

By the late 80s, the accuracy, readability,
and clarity of the New American Standard Bible had made it the basis
for more study Bibles than any other text. Some of these releases included:
the Ryrie Study Bible, the Open Bible, the Cambridge Study Bible, the Holman
Study Bible, the Master Study Bible, the Topical Chain Study Bible, and the
NAS Reference Bible.

The New American Standard Bible
text also became available in a variety of formats such as pew Bibles, childrens
Bibles, text edition Bibles, compact Bibles, large print Bibles, loose-leaf
study editions, and gift and award Bibles.

1990's and Beyond

The completion of theNew
American Standard Bible Update and
its availability in a wide assortment of editions, LBLA Study Bible, Nueva
Biblia de los Hispanos,
and the continuing development of new products to serve the Lord.

The
Lockman Foundation Past Presidents

F.
Dewey Lockman
President & Founder (1942-1974)

BIOGRAPHY

Born on a farm near St. Jacob, Illinois
on May 7, 1898, F. Dewey Lockman was the grandson of an itinerant Christian
preacher and the child of farmers. This interesting occupational lineage would
ultimately shape his adult Christian life.

In 1916 Deweys family moved
to California where he would eventually meet his wife, Minna. After a courtship
of a year and a half, they wed. Together they settled in Garden Grove where
young Dewey worked hard in the oil fields and toiled for various orchard owners,
while tending his own produce.

However, on Nov. 27, 1927, his life
would be changed forever. Lockman was converted to Christianity during a tent
meeting in Garden Grove. "It was a miraculous conversion and I cried for
three days," he recalled years later. "God was good."

Along with Minna, who as a child
claimed Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, Dewey became an active attendee
and participant in church services. He also became an active tither. Faithfully
keeping strict records during good and bad times of what he owed the Lord, Lockman
repaid the Lord -- with interest. As his own citrus farm prospered, so did Dewey,
and he continued to acquire land. In 1942 he turned over 75 percent (two years
later, he gave an additional 15 percent) of the vast land holdings of his La
Habra Valley ranch to an enterprise which he created for the Lord. The Lockman
Foundation was formed to foster and promote Christian, charitable, and educational
enterprises and soon would be responsible for translation, publishing, and distribution
of Bibles throughout the world.

A man of vision, Lockman saw the
need for a Bible that would explain and expand the meaning of words in the text
through the use of synonyms and definitions and would allow the reader to more
completely grasp the meaning of the words as they were understood in the original
languages. To this end, he brought together a group of dedicated scholars who
would produce the Amplified Bible. Then, he saw a need for a Bible
that would be clearly readable in the current English language but, more importantly,
would not sacrifice ANY accuracy in the translation from the original languages,
and he persevered with the time-honored New American Standard Bible.

The impact of his ideas were as far-reaching
as translating the Bible into several foreign languages as well as into Braille.
He was also responsible for such innovations as Time Released Education and
Summer Bible Schools which brought Christ to over 20,000 children. In 1960,
he fulfilled his covenant with the Lord by deeding the last 10 percent of his
land to the Foundation so that Gods Word would be further spread. Ultimately,
over a million dollars in translation work for God was furnished in Lockmans
lifetime.

But dollars cannot measure what Dewey
Lockman meant. He was a well-known local leader, and a philanthropist. He was
active in the Gideon Society for 31 years, and a member of the Masonic Order.
Before his passing, he was recognized as outstanding citizen of the month by
the La Habra chamber of commerce. Ever humble, he never sought publicity in
his lifetime and was insistent that all works produced by the Foundation "give
the Lord Jesus Christ his proper place, the place which the Word gives Him;
therefore no work will ever be personalized."

A little more than three years before
he left us to be with Lord on January 11, 1974, Lockman lived to see the ultimate
completion of his dream: the dedication of the NASB to God at a public
service held at his home church, First Baptist Church of Anaheim, California.
It was a touching and fitting moment in the life of this man of God, because
God had given him the vision of something he was to do for Jesus Christ, and
how it was to be done. Through some very difficult times while the project was
in progress and in the face of, at times, overwhelming adversity, F. Dewey Lockman
never doubted Gods leading and the eventual success of this translation
work. God honored this faith.

Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland
President (1974-1979)

BIOGRAPHY

In 1926, after graduating from Princeton,
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland moved directly into the pastorate where he served for
five years at the Grace Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles. In 1931, he acquired
a great interest in interdenominational work and became very active in it. In
1936 he became involved at the well-known Bible Institute of Los Angeles as
Director of the Extension Department. He later served as Christian Service Director
and in 1942 was appointed Dean of the College. In 1952, Dr. Sutherland became
the fifth President of Biola University, La Mirada, CA (formerly Biola College).

Dr. Sutherland had many visions for
Biola. In 1943 he proposed that, in conjunction with Biola, a Theological Seminary
be established which is known today as Talbot Theological Seminary. He was also
responsible for achieving the accreditation of Biola and for the relocation
of the campus to suburban La Mirada. Through his great enthusiasm and his many
visions, the campus developed with great strides. In 1970 Dr. Sutherland retired
as President of Biola.

Dr. Sutherland was for many years
a personal friend and advisor to Mr. and Mrs. Lockman and became officially
involved with The Lockman Foundation in 1968 when he was asked to serve on the
Editorial Board and in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors. In 1971
he was elected a member of the Board of Directors and served as Vice President.
Following the death of founder F. Dewey Lockman in 1974, Dr. Sutherland became
President of the Lockman Foundation. In the succeeding years, his dynamic leadership
enabled the work of The Lockman Foundation to have a great impact on the religious
community and on the important work of providing accurate, readable contemporary
Bible translations in many languages.

Dr. Sutherland retired as President
in 1979 and went home to be with the Lord on January 21, 1994.

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The Lockman Foundation is a nonprofit, interdenominational ministry
dedicated to the translation, publication, and distribution of
the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Amplified Bible (AMP),
La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA), Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana
de Hoy (NBLH), and other Biblical resources.